Railway track lubricating device



Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY TRACKLUBRICATING DEVICE William F. Huck, Forest Hills, N. Y.

Application August 29, 1946, Serial No. 693,651

This invention relates in general to railway track lubricating devicesand more particularly to devices of the above character as described inmy copending applications Serial Nos. 557,686, and 582,275, filedOctober 7, 1944, and March 3, 1945, respectively; and embodying flexibleand/or resilient means for applying lubricant directly to that side ofthe rail head which is engaged by the wheel flanges of passing trains.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of improvedlubricant-applying means having members of a special contour and ofdiiferent degrees of flexibilit toavoid breakage and to assure a moreefficient distribution of the lubricant against the rail head and wheelflanges.

A further object is to provide lubricant pumping means operated by thedirect contact of train wheels upon coacting pump mechanism.

It is also an object of the invention to provide railway tracklubricating means of generally improved construction, whereby theconstruction will be simple, durable and inexpensive,

as well as convenient, serviceable and efficient in The invention willbe best understood by reference to the drawings wherein- Figure l is asectional view, taken in a plane normal to the vertical plane of therail and showing the improved lubricant pumping means and lubricantapplying means of the present invention certain parts being shown inelevation;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section and with parts brokenaway, of a modified form of lubricant pumping means operatively appliedto a railway track and operable by the direct contact of train wheels;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the pumping means disclosed in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the lubricant applying meansdisclosed in Figure 1, but with parts broken away to more clearly showthe construction; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional View, partly in plan, taken on the line and asviewed in the direction of the arrows 55 of Figure 1.

13 Claims. (Cl. 184-3) Referring now to the drawings wherein similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalviews of the preferred forms of the invention, the numeral 9 designatesa rail having the customary flange base Ill and head H. A clamp bar orbracket !2 formed with a downwardly depending portion I3 and an upwardlydirected arm or extension l4, hasits body portion or web i5 secured tothe underneath surface of the base ill of the rail 9 by screw bolts i5,i7; nuts l8, l9; and lugs 20, 2I.-

A lubricant reservoir ortank 22 is fastened to the depending portion [3of the clamp bracket l2 in any suitable manner, as by the screw bolts23, 24 protruded through the said portion l3 and the adjacent side wallof the tank 22 which houses the pump assembly now to be described. Thepump assembly designated generally at A,

comprises a pump body 25 having a pocket 26 with a reduced opening 27 inthe bottom thereof, nor-" mally closed by a suction ball 28 and suitablyconfigured to provide a coacting suction ball seat. The pocket 26communicates with a channel or passageway 29 formed in the pumpbody 25,the channel 29 in turn communicating with a reduced openin or orifice3%? provided at the bottom of a second recess or pocket 3! formed in thesaid pump body 25 and normally closed by a ball 32. A screw 33 isthreadedly engaged in and closes the pocket 3! at the top. A secondpocket 3| communicated with a channel 34 arranged in the pump body 25and is adapted to receive the extended end'of a pipe fitting indicatedgenerally. at 35 which is threaded engaged in the depend- A pipe ingportion 13 of the clamp bracket 12, or conduit 36 attached to the pipefitting 35 Con-,-

veys lubricant to lubricant-applying or applicator means designatedgenerally at B and arranged adjacent the head of the rail for theefficient lubrication of the latter, as hereinafter described.

' The interior wall of the pocket 26 is suitably threaded as at 3'l toreceive a corresponding threaded portion on a reduced, integralextension 1' 38 formed on a cylindrical member 39 which has alongitudinally extending bore 49 adapted to slidably receive a piston orplunger 4| which also passes through an opening 42 in the top cover orlid 43 of the tank 22. A filler hole 44 is also pro.-

I vided in the cover 43, the filler hole 44 normally: being closed by asuitable hinged cap 45. A stake 46 anchored in the ground D adjacent theroad bed on which the rail 9 is located, has an offset portion 41apertured to receive the upper end of the piston 4| which latter isprovided with circular grooves, as at 48, to accommodate resilient snaprings 49, 5|]. The grooves 48 and snap rings 49, 50 permit theconvenient fastening of the piston 4| to the stake at the desiredheight, and its quick detachment therefrom, when desired. It will befurther understood that by placing ring 50 into groove 48, the effectivestroke of piston 4| with respect to pump assembly A, will be reduced,since there is lost motion between the offset portion 41 of stake 46 andthe upper ring 49 and lower ring 50 in' groove 48. While only one extragroove 48 is shown, it will be understood that theremay be a series ofthese in suitably spaced relation and by proper selection of these theoutput that since the tank 22 to which the pump as sembly A is fastened,is rigidly securedto the rail 9, any motion of the latter in a verticalplane under the action of passing train wheels will cause relativemovement between the fixed piston andthe pumpassembly and therebypumping action, as hereinafter described more fully.

The lubricant-applying means B disclosed in the present applicationdiffers somewhat from those shown in my above-referred to copendingapplications, and: comprises, as an assembly and as best shown in Figs.1 and 4, an upper plate 5| formed of flexible and resilient sheet metal,preferably steel. Normally juxtaposed against the steel plate 5| is athin plate of flexible and resilient material 52, preferablyoil-resistant, such as: neoprene, Vinylite and the. like; whose outeredge is protrude beyond theedge of the plate 5|- and upwardly againstthe adjacent face of the rail head H. A spacer member 53 is arrangedbelow the plates 5|, 52 and has an outlet 54 to permit the lubricant toflow into the space or pocket 55 provided between the upper layers ofplates above-described, and; the lower layer of plates hereinafterdescribed. A fourth plate 56, similar to the plate 52,. is formed ofneoprene or Vinylite and has its outer. end protruded upwardly againstthe rail head II. A fifth plate 5'1 formed of steel is juxtaposedagainst the underneath surface of neoprene plate 56 and has its outerend, as at 58, curved upwardly into supporting engagement with theupwardly curving adjacent end of the said. neoprene plate 55. A sixthmember consists of a comparatively short steel member 59 whose functionis to reinforce the fifth steel plate 51. The above mentioned six platesare bevelled at their ends, each plate having its extended enddiagonally cut away, as at 59, it being understood that although onlyone end is shown as bevelled in Fig. 4, both ends are in practicebevelled. The two Vinylite plates 52 and 56' are preferably sealed attheir bevelled ends, as indicated at 58, to prevent loss lubricant atthese points. All the above-mentioned six plates are clampingly securedto an angle iron member 6! and to a base plate 52 by screw bolts 53. Theangle iron member in turn, is secured to the clamp bar [2 in anysuitable manner, as by the cleats 54 and bolts 55.

The bevelling of the plates of the lubricantapplying assembl B achievesan important object; i. e., the avoidance of their premature breakagewhich is more prone to occur in lubricantapplying plates of the presentdescription without bevel, that is, with rectangular ends. Whenlubricant applying plates having: rectangular ends are first contactedby an advancing train wheel, their deflection occurs first in a curvewhose axis is substantially normal to the rail. As the train wheelfurther advances upon the assembly, the deflection curve mentioned abovechanges suddenly into a deflection curve whose axis is substantiallyparallel to the rail. The excessive strains and stresses set up duringthe transition from the first mentioned deflection curve to the second,causes structural rupture and failure. By bevelling the ends of theplates constituting the lubricant-applying assembly, it is to be notedthat the wheel pressure occurs first at a point that is adapted to theproduction of a deflection curve whose axis is parallel to the rail. Therigid member of the assembly, i. e., the angle iron member BI and baseplate 62 extend too far beyond the point of first wheel contact topermit the forming of an initial curve whose axis is normal to the rail.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that train wheelspassing over the rail 9 will, to a greater or less degree, cause itsreciprocation in a vertical plane, thereby causing correspondingreciprocation of the clamp bar 12 and the tank 22 attached thereto.Downward movement of the tank 22 and of the parts rigidly attachedthereto will permit relative slidable movement between the fixed piston5i and the adjacent surface of the elongated pocket or bore 40 of thecylindrical member 39. This relative movement of piston 4| andcylindrical member 39 will, by reason of the partial vacuum temporarilycreated, raise thev suction ball 28 thereby drawing lubricant throughthe opening 21, and consequently filling the pocket 26. The upwardmovement of the rail 9, after the vehicle wheels have passed thereover,will now cause the tank 22, attached pump body 25 and cylindrical member 39 to correspondingly move in an upward direction while the piston41 remains immovable. Lubricant, therefore,v which has entered thepocket 26, elongated passageway 35 and channel 29, will as suction ball26 is returned to its seat to close the opening or port 27, be impelledthrough the orifice or port thereb lifting ball 32 and forcing lubricantthrough the channel 34 and thence through pipe fitting 35, conduit 35,pipe fitting 51, attached to the end of conduit 36 and thence throughopening 54 into the horizontal pocket or space 55, between the twoneoprene sheets 52, 55; wherefrom it will flow against the side of therailhead I l and be f arther ejected thereagainst as an advancing wheelflange depresses the lubricating assembly in the manner shown inFigure 1. The lubricant, it is to be noted, by inspection of theupwardly curved endsof the two neoprene plates 52, 55 will have atendency to be retained in the temporarily closed pocket 55 until thelubricant-applying assembly is depressed by wheel action whereupon thelubricant will be smoothly and wipin ly distributed against the saidrail head i i as the pocket 55 partly opens, asshown. If the impact ofthe wheel flanges occurs at high speed then it will be understood thatthe lubricant ejected against the rail head IE will, through itsinertia, be separated from the lubricant applying means as the latter isviolently depressed, and will deposit against the wheel flanges.

In the modified form of the. invention shown in Figures 2 and 3thelubri'cant pump is operated by direct contact of the wheels ofpassing trains and not by recipro'catory motion of the rail, as in theform shown in Figs. 1, 4 and. 5 This alternate means for operating thepump is preferred for slow moving trains. Referring now to Figs. 2and-3, the numeral: H designates a lubricant tank or reservoir which issecured to a clamp bracket 12 by screws I3, 14 the clamp bracket 12 inturn being fastened to the base of the rail 15 by lugs 16, i1; screwbolts l8, l9 and nuts 88, 8|. The tank H, with the exception of itscover 82, as described hereinafter, is similar to tank 22 and alsohouses a pump assembly identical with that described in the foregoingparagraphs and shown in Figure l. The means for conducting the lubricantfrom tank H to the lubricant applying means (not shown inFig. 2) arealso similar to those shown in Figure 1. The similar parts, therefore,in Figures 1 and 2, are correspondingly numbered.

In the instant form of the invention, the piston 4|, after passingthrough the cover 82, is protruded through a hole 83 provided in a rockarm 84 and is detachably fastened to the said rock arm 84 by snap rings85, 86 in the manner described hereinbefore. One end of the rock arm 84is formed with an integral lug 81 which is apertured to receive a pivotor hinge pin 88 whose outer ends are turnably supported in holes at 89,provided in angularly arranged arms 9|, 92 integrally formed with orfastened to the cover 82. The other end of the rock arm 84 has anupwardly directed portion 93 which is contacted by moving train wheels.The rock arm 84 is normally maintained in the position, shown in fulllines in Fig. 2, by a coil spring 95 encircling a portion of the piston4i and confined between the upper surface of the cover 82 and the undersurface of the rock arm 84.

In order to limit the movement of the springbiased rock arm 84 and ofthe piston 4| attached thereto, a screw 96 is passed through an opening91 in the said rock arm and is threadedly engaged in the cover 82 of thetank 22. The head 98 of the screw 96 contacts the upper surface of therock arm 84 and serves as an abutment or stop against the upwardmovement or swing of the rock arm. By turning the screw 96 in aclockwise or counter direction, the screw head 98 will be lowered orraised thereby depressing or raising the rock arm 84 and attached piston4|; so that their vertical movement to the degree de sired may beadjustably regulated while under the urge of the coil spring 95.. Inthis manner, the scope of the pumping action may be controlled and thesupply of lubricant fed to the lubricantapplying means B regulatedwithin the limits indicated.

It will be noticed that in the modified form of the invention the pumpis actuated positively by direct contact of a passing train wheel 99with the ramp-like surface 94 of the portion 93 of the rock arm 84,resulting in the downward movement of the latter and consequently of theattached piston 4i, thereby ejecting lubricant from the pocket 25,through port 38, channel 34, pipe fitting 35, conduit 36, pipe fitting61 and thence through opening 54 into the narrow pocket 55 of thelubricant-applying assembly B, as hereinbefore described in thedescription accompanying the first form of the invention. As in theother form of the invention, a filler hole Hill, normally closed by ahinged cap lfll, is provided on the cover 82.

It is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in otherspecific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributesthereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment beconsidered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive,reference being had to the appended claims rather than the foregoingdescription to indicate the scope of the 6. invention; and it will befurtherunderstood that each and every novel feature and combinationpresent in or possessed by the mechanism herewith disclosed, forms apart of the inventionincluded in this application.

8 Having thus described my invention, what. I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is: 9

1. In a device for lubricating a rail, a tank secured to the rail andadapted to containlubricant, a pump fastened to the tank, a pistonforming a part of the pump and fastened to an anchorage, said anchoragebeing arranged exteriorly and independently of said tank, and means forconducting lubricant from the tank to the rail; whereby when said railis moved by the weight of a passing train wheel traversing the rail,relative movement between the pump and piston will actuate the pump andforce lubricant from the tank into the said means.

2. In a device for lubricating arail, 1ubricant applying means arrangedadjacent to and contactable by train wheels passing over the rail, saidmeans including a plurality of resilient instrumentalities each having adifferent degree of flexibility, at least two of said instrumentalitiesdefining a space therebetween, a plurality of flexible instrumentalitiesarranged in said space, and lubricant-conducting means connected to thelubricant-applying means and supplying lubricant between the flexibleinstrumentalities.

3. In a device for lubricating a rail, lubricantapplying means arrangedadjacentto and contactable by train wheels passing over the rail, saidmeans including a plurality of resilient instrumentalities arranged toprovide a space, a plurality of flexible instrumentalities contactingthe rail and disposed Within the space in opposed relation to provide apocket accommodating lubricant, said resilient instrumentalities flexingdownwardly under the weight of a train wheel traversing the rail whilesaid flexible instrumentalities simultaneously flex upwardly; wherebylubricant in the said pocket will be extruded against the rail. I

4. In a device for lubricating a rail, lubricantapplying means arrangedadjacent to and contactable by train wheels passing over the rail, saidmeans including a plurality of resilient instrumentalities, a pluralityof flexible instrumentalities contacting the rail and arranged to form apocket between at least two of. the resilient instrumentalities, saidresilient and flexible instrumentalities having bevelled ends so thatwhen deflected by passing train wheels the axis of their deflectioncurve will be parallel to the rail; and means connected to the resilientand flexible instrumentalities and supplying lubricant to the saidpocket.

5. In a device for lubricating a rail, lubricantapplying means arrangedadjacent to and contactable by train wheels passing over the rail, saidmeans including a pluriity of resilient instrumentalities arranged toprovide a space, a plurality of flexible instrumentalities contactingthe rail and disposed within the said space, and means supplyinglubricant between the flexible instrumentalities, said flexibleinstrumentalities having ends flexed upwardly into engagement with therail to deposit and maintain a supply of lubricant on the rail.

6. In a device for lubricating ar ail, lubricantapplying means arrangedadjacent to and contactable by train wheels passing over the rail, saidmeans including a plurality of resilient instrunientalities arranged toprovide a. space, aplural'i-- itypt' flexible instrumentalitiescontacting...therail and' disposed within the said. space, and; meanss'uppl-ying lubricanttto the flexible instrumentalities; all of saidresilient and flexibleinstrumentalities being: formed'and secured sothat fl'exure under passing train wheels will take place insubstantially one plane.

-'7J. 'Ina device f'orlubricating a rail, lubricantappl'ying meansa'rranged adjacent to and. contactable by'train wheels passing over therail, said means being deflectible downwardly by the trainwheelsandincluding a plurality of resilient instrumentalities arranged toprovide a space, a plurality of flexible instrumentalities contactingtherail and disposed within the said space; and means'supplyinglubricantbetween the flexible instrumentalities, said flexibleinstrumentalitieshaving ends flexed upwardly intoengagementwith the rail to depositandmaintain a supply of lubricant on the rail.

8 In -a device for lubricating a rail, atank secured to the rail andadapted to contain lubricant, a'pump fastened to the tank; a pistonform'- ing a part of the pump and fastened to an anchorage; saidanchorage-beingarranged exteriorly and independently of 'said tank,means coacting with the piston and anchoragefor varying the effectiveaction of-thepiston and consequently the effectiveaction-oi the pump;and means for conducting lubricant" from the tank to the rail; wherebywhen said rail is moved by the weight of a passing train wheeltraversing the rail, relative movement between the pumpand piston willactuate the pump a-ndforce lubricant from the tank into the means forconducting lubricant.

9-. In a device for lubricating a rail, lubricantapplyingmeans arrangedadjacent toand contactableby train wheels passing over the rail, saidmeans including a plurality'of resilient instrumenta-lities arranged toprovide a space, a plurality of flexible instrumentalities contactingthe-rail and disposed within the said space, and means supplyinglubricant between. the flexible instrumentalities; said flexibleinstrumentalities having their opposite ends sealed to prevent leakageof lubricant therefrom but having portions flexed upwardly intoengagement with the railto deposit and maintain asupply of lubricant onthe rail.

105111 a device for lubricating a rail and the flanges of train wheelstraversing the rail, lubricant-applying means arranged adjacent to anddeflectable downwardly by train wheels contacting the meansandpassingover the rail, said means including resilient and flexibleinstrumentalities composed of comparatively thin fiatsheets' ofmaterial" and arranged to' provide a compres sible pocket to accommodatea supply of lubricant, said pocket having a dischargeopening inproximity to the'rail and adjacent wheel flanges passing thereov'er, andmeans made operable by' pocket will be compressed and lubricant-Willseparated from the instrumentalities and ejected from the discharge.opening and-towards theralland wheel flanges.

11. In a device for lubricating a rail and the adjacent flanges of trainwheels traversing the rail, lubricant-applying means-arranged adjacentto and defi'ectable downwardly by train wheels contacting the means andpassing over the rail;

said means including flexible and resilient in strumentalities composedof comparatively thin flat sheets of material and having bevelled endsand arranged to provide a compressible pocket'to adjacent flanges-oftrain wheels traversing the" rail,- a tank secured to the rail" andadapted to contain lubricant, a pump fastened-to the tank,- apiston'forming a partjof the pump and fastened to an anchorage; and saidanchoragebeing arranged exteri'orlyand independently of said tank,means-for" conveying lubricant from the tank to the saidadjacentwheel'flanges, whereby when said rail is-moved by the weight ofa passi'ng-train wheel passing thereover; said tankwlll' move relativelyto the piston, and the pump will force lubricant intothe said means.

r 1 3. In a device for lubricating a rail and'the flangesof train wheelstraversing the rail, lubricant applying means arranged adjacent therail, said means including a plurality of resilient in"- strumentalitiesarranged to provide a space; a plurality of flexible instrumentalitiesdisposed withinthe space and arranged to form a pocket to accommodatelubricant, and lubricant-con ducti'ngmeans connected to thelubricant-applyi'ng-- means and supplying lubricant to the said pocket,said resilient and flexible instrumentalities flexingdownwardly'under'the weight of passingtrain wheels and compressing saidpocket to extrude lubricant therefrom into contact with adjacent wheelflanges passing thereby.

WILLIAM F. HUCK;

REFERENCES) vCITED The following references are of record in the fileoithis patent;

UNI-TED; STATES PATENTS.

Number Name Date 1,923,449; Merk Aug. 22, 1933" 1,978,966 Madison" Oct.'30, 1934' 2,603,242 Butcher; May 28, 1935 2,018,402 Hum'phri'es Oct.22, 1935 2,152,696 Huck Apr. 4,,1'939'

